The Friends Project Presents Benefit Concert Featuring Porter, Cumming, et al. 11/8

A special one night only event to benefit the Ali Forney Center will present THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR, a concert featuring David Raleigh, Alan Cumming, Billy Porter, and Ari Gold and the premiere of Michael Aker's musical video of 'That What Friends Are For'. The concert is this coming Monday, November 8, 2010 at 7:00 pm in The Hiro Ballroom at The Maritime Hotel, 16th Street at 9th Avenue NYC. Tickets are $95 and $75 and are available at www.thefriendsproject.org. There are also Student/Young Professional discounts and Table Service tickets available upon inquiry.

New York City singer, songwriter, piano player and entertainer David Raleigh invited his friends Alan Cumming, Billy Porter and Ari Gold to join him in concert to support the work of the Ali Forney Center. All said "Yes!" without hesitation. Tony Award winner Alan Cumming has been touring the world with his one man cabaret show I BOUGHT A BLUE CAR TODAY and appearing on CBS's "The Good Wife". Broadway's own Billy Porter is currently starring in Tony Kuchner's ANGELS IN AMERICA. Gay pop recording artist, Ari Gold has a new album coming out in early 2011.

Raleigh, who along with his long-time partner, Richard Bahl have been supporters of AFC for 8 years, hosting 'Jingle', the organization's yearly Holiday benefit in their home. "Rick and I wanted to do something "bigger" this year.' said David, "Something that would reach more people and make them aware of the good work AFC does. We know support needs to come from places outside of New York City as well. Rick came up with the idea of asking the boys to get together and record a remake of the song 'That's What Friends Are For,' and putting it up on iTunes with all the proceeds to AFC. We had an idea to create a 9 minute "Lady Gaga - esque" music video that would include clips of all of us explaining why we came together and why this cause was so near and dear to each of us. We wanted to interview a few of the clients at the shelters and detail a few success stories. My record producer, Nathan Leigh Jones heard about the project and flew from Australia donating his time to arrange and produce the studio project. We enlisted the skills of Michael Akers, a documentary film maker who got completely behind the idea and began filming. Not long into the process they realized the work of all the staff, volunteers and the needs of the clients of AFC was too huge for just a short intro clip to a video. They embarked on what will be a full fledged documentary about the Center." The entire venture has been named "The Friends Project", which includes the remake of "TWFAF", on an EP featuring songs from all four of the artists, the music video, and the upcoming documentary.

The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June 2002 in response to the lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. They have grown quickly to become the nation's largest and most comprehensive organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth. They are committed to providing LGBT youth with safe, dignified, nurturing environments where their needs can be met and where they can begin to put their lives back together. The center provides short and long term housing, plus free medical care, HIV testing, mental health services, showers, food, computer access and job training and placement at its drop-in centers in Chelsea and Brooklyn. The Ali Forney Center main headquarters is at 224 West 35th St., Suite 1102 New York, NY 10001 (212) 222-3427 and the fax is (212) 222-5861. www.aliforneycenter.org